Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-11-23
PRIVATE SCANDAL AND THE PRESS.

20
Or rests; it knows only waking hours and
eternal motion. 1t ruHs counter to every
dictate of justice, and sets at nought the
commonest rules the wisdom of ages has
evolved for the protection of human rights.
If charged with crime, man is entitled
to the presumption of innocence until his
guilt be proved. But in the high Court of
scandal it is held one is guilty until he
proves himself innocent, and, as John G..
Holland remarked, "even then it takes
the liberty of doubling the testimony"
The same great-hearted journalist, in
treating Of the popular capacity for scan
dial, said: Every man who rejoices in a
scandal thereby advertises his own untrust-
worthiness an epigram that is in fact Il
truism. The popular appetite for scandal
Is not denied, but that it should be
therefore ministered to is so far from being
true, that in fact every public and private
influence should be exerted to repress the
vicious tendency
The most recent local rumor about al
legged disloyalty to marriage VOWS has
whetted the appetites of those who relish
such bits of filth, to degree that has led
some to express the belief that because
the press of the city does not nose out the
scandal and bring the names of offender
and victim to light and make the filth of
the story drip from daily columns, there
fore the press has been corrupted and paid
to maintain silence.
Sensible men know better. So far as
that scandalous lie may be aimed at this
journal, 1t is sufficient to say that it occa-
slons no disquiet, and its contempt for the
busy-bodies who spend their time in circu-
lating such falsehoods leaves no room for
anger The press of the country gem
orally entertains pity for these restless
souls with morbid appetites for the smutty,
who keep themselves in worry because
the press is not run to suit their scandal
Gus ideas. The press is a great deal bet
1el tiidH Such people.
The publication of paper is a private
business and the same rules that dictate
the conduct of gentlemen in private life
ought to direct their course in public
print. The decent press of the country
does not print the stories of amors and
marital disloyalty that are to be heard on
the street al any hour, because it has bet
ter purposes in view, and is not prepared
to surrender its space to the Venus mis-
celiany style of literature, or to expose to
shame and contumely the innocent who
are invariably involved in the licentious-
ness Of men and women. The decent press,
In short, does not drag the names of house
holds out of privacy and hold them up to
scandalous view and the greedy gaze of
scandal-mongers,o on account ofthe disloyalty
or amours of some member of the home.
simply because it is not to its taste. and
that no one, in such matters has the right
to question.
With the San Francisco Aha, it q begs to
be excused from making it a speciality to
hunt up private peccadilloes to prove
the corruption and sinfulness of this city
and its citizens in the midst of whom it is
published" If the attention were given
to the private scandals of every day by the
press essential to the entertainment of their
truth prior to publication, two score of re-
porters could be kept busily engaged on
each journal on that class of work, and a
full page of each be absorbed in
every issue by the mere recital of domestic
infelicities, of liberntinism and disoyaltv TO
homes
If newspapers, self-respecting and respect
desiring, were published for that purpose
they would be bound to give publicity to
all manner Of scandalous stories concern
ing debauehes; visitations to places of dis
repute; base deceit and unrestrained mas
sion; of indiscretions and weaknesses ON
the part of the foolish, and cruel and dis
loyal conduct on the part of those to
whom are given the care of wife and chill
dren, or mother and sister. Quoting
again from the Ada, we concur when ii
says
The newspaper which day after day gives m
It's editorial columns and its news columns Ia
the record of crimes becomes no more elevated
in morals than that Police Gazette, (which many
drastic statutes.
The purity of the world is
not increased by press which does nothing
achievement as proof of enterprise
The tendency to dwell upon the details of
crime, especially If they be lickerish aud I'M
Chaste, does not lead to adherence of transgres-
sion. 1t leads to that familiarity with vice
which produces more embraces than abhor-
renee. 1t Is fact that this style of journalism
gives far more space to description OF aud spec
ulation about small criminal act than TO a
great act OF virtue, self-sacritce, generosity or
charity.
We think it enough to note as news current
those oftenses which simply prove that the mil
lennium, yet elsewhere unknown. has not mi
grated TO san Francisco. while we lead cur
readers into more useful lines of thought than
the daily contemplation of the meanneSs and
immortality which are here, they have been
IL all places since man felt the impulse of law
less passion We are perfectly aware that the
press which pursueS the opposite course gets Il
certain reputation as being on the side OF that
party against which il daily ofiends. But con
slider, II daily visitor TO your house should, in
pISScUGt Vi VIE ana Gnilu Ell, PURSUE pre-
ciSely the same course. describing III the same
words exact crimes and criminals how long
would he be made welcome? How soon would
you discover that he sent hot cheeks flushed
with lawless iancies to the pillows OF your coil
dren and TO the pillow of their mother a feai
more than vague? II you would not permi. 10
snen visitor such revelations in your family
circle, IN your presence and under your eve,
why permit the same thug in q newspaper,
read by your sons and daughters behind your
back, TO steal away their puritT9
Unfortunately there are cases that force
themselves so prominently to view that
the press cannot avoid giving them more
publicity; cases that so involve them
selves with crime and outrage and violated
laws and cruel dishonor, that i. is no
mercy to be silent, and injustice to society
to refuse TO debate them. In all such as
IN public crimes, official venaiity, abused
public trust, etc, the honest press enter
tains neither doubt nor fear concerning its
course.
So too, even in private scandals. there
are instances in which the injured party
makes complaint and demands that the
wrong-doer be named to the world in
which the positive evidences of guilt ard
the belief that :. goo1 NUM-. IN